


v for victory

by mwestbelle



Series: Tumblr Prompts [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Sexism, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2013-12-15
Packaged: 2018-01-04 16:34:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1083218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mwestbelle/pseuds/mwestbelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Peggy Carter got the super soldier serum?</p>
            </blockquote>





	v for victory

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr for paper-kraken's prompt "How about an AU where Peggy Carter was the one who became the super soldier?"

When Colonel Phillips tells her that Erskine insists that she be the subject for Project Rebirth, that he refuses to consider any other soldier (any real soldier, his eyes say), she presses her red lips together and nods. She didn’t know she was being considered as a subject, but she risked her life to get Erskine away from HYDRA. She trusts his judgment.

*

"None of these men know what it means to be weak," Abraham says. He makes a face. "Not that you are weak, but, you understand. They take their power for granted. I know that you will appreciate it. You will use it for good."

Peggy nods. She’s terrified, but she’ll never flinch. Not from a chance to do all the things she’s always known she’s capable of. “I’ll do my best, doctor.”

*

None of her clothes fit anymore. She’s taller, broader, carries her weight in different places than before the serum. It’s a stupid thing to focus on, the sort of womanly thinking that has all the politicians and military officials up in arms about her selection. But she made many of these dresses herself, the rest she’s spent hours mending, bleeding over (sewing has not been one of her particular talents, though she never let that hold her back). They’ll be sent to other women or recycled for the war effort - Make Do and Mend, nothing goes to waste. Still, now she is left with nothing but a new uniform still in desperate need of tailoring.

Her shoes don’t fit either, though she doesn’t spend long mourning her heels. She picks out a pair of thick boots in her new size, the kind the rest of the soldiers wear, and feels a thrill lacing them up. 

*

They call her “Miss Victory.” She poses for pictures in her sharply tailored uniform and boots, her lips red and hair carefully styled, chin tilted up. She refuses the requests that she pose for other sorts of pictures, the cheesecake shots they insist will do good for the men out in the field. She needs those men to fight beside her, and she doesn’t need any of them keeping a photograph of her in her skivvies tucked into his pocket.

They make illustrations instead, paint her on the side of planes. She hates the speculative looks that soldiers give her, undressing her with their eyes and wondering just what’s underneath the pressed uniform. They’re never going to know.

*

Her superiors think she ought to stay in London to help keep up morale. Peggy disagrees, quite strongly. So strongly that she hitches a ride with Howard Stark the first chance she gets. He’s always been a stalwart friend, and now that she’s a walking science experiment he’d do anything for her.

It doesn’t mean that she’s safe from his sideways glance. “You sure about this?”

"The serum was meant to create a perfect soldier, not a perfect figurehead." Peggy leans in to apply her lipstick. She’s practiced at it again now, had to relearn everything with her new strength. The first time after the experiment, she smeared a streak all the way across her cheek. "If they’re going to call me ‘victory,’ I ought to put some effort towards achieving it, don’t you agree?"

Howard grins. “Well, when you put it that way.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm always accepting prompts on [tumblr](http://villainsexuale.tumblr.com) Come hang out!


End file.
